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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22675978">Digging</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencesit/pseuds/fencesit'>fencesit</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Chicago (City), Gen, Giant Robots, Slice of Life, Vaguely the Late 80's</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:20:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>632</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22675978</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fencesit/pseuds/fencesit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Beneath them, in addition to several well-armed guards, is a behemoth of a Hawkins Special.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robin Buckley &amp; Steve Harrington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Chocolate Box - Round 5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Digging</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/gloss/gifts">gloss</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
When they move to Chicago, they learn that the river was once reversed — it used to run into the lake and then they switched it to go the other way. Robin drags Steve down to the Chicago Historical Society, which has somewhat recently had an expansion. "We need to know about the place we're living," had been her argument, and given everything that's happened in Hawkins...well, Steve's best at the looking-at-pictures part of going to the museum, but Robin tells him all the really interesting parts to make sure he doesn't miss out.
</p><p>
They make a good team.
</p><p>
Something they're especially good at is getting into trouble. Or, well, <em>finding</em> trouble, really. This time it's a tip from Nancy — <em>Might be nothing</em>, her note cautions when they open the thick envelope she's sent them, <em>might just be drugs or guns</em>. — but it could have just as easily have been their own persistent inability to leave well-enough alone. 
</p><p>
"No way," Robin says when they successfully break into the Fulton River District warehouse, inch stealthily along the catwalk, and look down at what's been smuggled into their new city.
</p><p>
"Oh my god," Steve says. 
</p><p>
Both of them kind of wish Dustin and Erica were right there with them, even though they've solemnly sworn to each other that they won't drag minors into any more Hawkins Specials.
</p><p>
Beneath them, in addition to several well-armed guards, is a behemoth of a Hawkins Special. It's like something off of a cheesy movie set. It's like something from one of the Transformers cartoons that Robin's cousins love to watch. The warehouse is completely silent, so they can hear every creak and groan and hiss of metal when the giant robot lying supine on the floor of the warehouse turns its head to look right at them.
</p><p>
"Fuck," they both say quietly as they duck out of sight, "fuck, fuck, fuck, <em>fuck</em>," and they scramble back the way they came, out a high window onto a flat-roofed extension and then down a very precarious fire escape. No obvious alarm is raised, no shouting or stomping boots or gunshots, so they balance haste with stealth on their way back to their car. They pause in alleyways. They hold each other back at the slightest sound.
</p><p>
Once they're finally in the car on the expressway with no sign of pursuit, they let themselves laugh. It's got that familiar haze of hysterical, resigned panic (like: of <em>course</em> they're not going to find anything <em>normal</em>) and Steve has to get off the expressway at the next exit so he can pull the car over while they both try to get control of themselves.
</p><p>
"Okay, good news," Robin says when they've sat in silence for a few moments and their hands have mostly stopped shaking. 
</p><p>
"Oh, there's good news?" Steve leans back in the driver's side seat. "There's so rarely good news. Tell me."
</p><p>
"They probably don't know who we are." Robin gestures at the back seat, which has Nancy's paperwork all spread out over it from the afternoon's hurried search for the address of the warehouse. "Nancy wouldn't get caught, and we just read some paper to find them — we didn't even ask anyone any questions. So we can probably go home."
</p><p>
"I love going home," Steve says conversationally. "It's the best. Bad news?"
</p><p>
"Bad news... we didn't really learn anything about them. We have to go back."
</p><p>
"I hate bad news."
</p><p>
"Yeah."
</p><p>
They both stare out the windshield for a moment, watching cars go by. 
</p><p>
"So... El?" Steve suggests. 
</p><p>
"And Will," Robin acknowledges. 
</p><p>
Minors who have super powers don't get to sit out of Hawkins Specials that are <em>this</em> special, unfortunately. But at least calling on those two means practically everyone will come up with them. It'll be like a reunion.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chicago just seems like the kind of city where someone would decide to build a giant robot, you know?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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